10 reasons to live in Ellesmere Port

Find out why The Port’s The Place

There are many reasons to consider owning a home in the Cheshire town of Ellesmere Port, not least the unbelievable value for money, a host of family attractions, incredible shopping and some excellent green spaces.

Whether you’re a first time buyer, a growing family or looking to downsize your home but upsize your lifestyle, here’s our rundown of why, when choosing where to live, The Port’s the place to be.

1. The price is right

When it comes to value for money you simply can’t fault Ellesmere Port. According to Rightmove the average house price here is £153,719 compared to £223,413 in nearby Chester. And if you want a detached house, on average you’ll pay only £236,492 in Ellesmere Port, yet £347,505 in Chester. That’s a whopping £111,013 difference - leaving you with plenty of change in your pocket to live life to the full.

2. Location Location Location

Ellesmere Port is a central hub between Cheshire and Merseyside and has excellent transport links to the whole of the North West. Chester is just seven miles by road, Liverpool less than 15. The M56 connects directly to Manchester. Merseyrail trains run from Ellesmere Port to Liverpool Central (40 mins) and to Chester (29 mins). And if you’re heading for foreign soil there are two international airports within a short drive – Liverpool John Lennon (22 miles) and Manchester International (32 miles).

3. A class act

For those with young children there are numerous primary schools with an Ofsted rating of ‘good’ and five primary schools in the borough have been rated ‘outstanding’ – St Bernard’s RC, Childer Thornton, Meadow Community, Whitby Heath and Wolverham. Two of the town’s three secondary schools are also ranked ‘good’; while West Cheshire College, with campuses in Ellesmere Port and Cheshire offers full and part-time vocational courses including apprenticeships, foundation degrees and other professional qualifications.

4. Shop ‘til you drop

Options for retail therapy abound including the UK’s largest designer outlet village, Cheshire Oaks, with more than 145 boutiques, restaurants and cafes, and the neighbouring Coliseum Shopping Park featuring major High Street names. Both destinations are a major draw for people from outside the area to visit Ellesmere Port, but canny buyers will quickly realise the advantage of having these first-class shopping facilities – including the world’s second largest Marks & Spencer flagship store – on their doorstep. In the town centre itself, there’s a busy indoor market and the Port Arcades.

5. Family attractions

It’s not just the choice of schools that makes Ellesmere Port a great place for families. There are some amazing places to visit too, not least the Blue Planet Aquarium – featuring Europe’s largest collection of sharks – and the National Waterways Museum, where the Shropshire Union Canal meets the Manchester Ship Canal, home to the nation’s designated collection of canal, river and waterways history. And then there’s the leisure attractions of Coliseum Park, including a multi-screen cinema showing all the latest 2D and 3D films, ten-pin bowling, trampolining and adventure golf.

6. Green spaces

Within cycling distance of the town centre at Rivacre Valley Nature Park are stunning woodlands, meadows and a designated orienteering course for those who are up for the challenge. Elsewhere, Stanney Woods local nature reserve is an ancient woodland of oak and silver birch, with some hazel and holly, making it an excellent spot for bird watching. Whitby Park has green flag status and is ideal for dog walking, family picnics and sport. There are plenty of Wirral beaches close by and, for days out further afield, the Welsh coastal resorts of Llandudno, Conwy and Rhyl are all within an hour’s drive, or it’s just a little further to reach the Snowdonia National Park.

7. Working 9 to 5

A recent report highlighted substantial progress in delivering economic growth for Ellesmere Port, including more than double the growth in new jobs compared to the rest of the country, over £400 million investment and a further £2 billion forecast. The study by Amion Consulting on behalf of the Ellesmere Port Development Board (EPDB) and Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) also reveals that 2,600 jobs have been created, representing a 9.7 per cent increase in employment compared to the UK average of 4 per cent growth.

8. Health & fitness

With an 80 station gym, two swimming pools, an action packed fitness timetable offering 95 weekly classes, a large sports hall, 3G football pitch and athletics track, Ellesmere Port Sports Village is a state of the art leisure and fitness centre. There’s also a David Lloyd gym at Cheshire Oaks with its own heated outdoor swimming pool.

9. Nights on the town

From the multiplex cinema and dining options at Coliseum Park, local entertainment in pubs and clubs, to city nightlife excursions into Chester, Liverpool or even Manchester, Ellesmere Port is a great base from which to enjoy an active social life. And when you want to rest, recover and recuperate you can do so in the relative peace and quiet of your home.

10. Exceptional new homes

Our final reason to choose Ellesmere Port as the place to live is the availability of good quality new homes to meet a variety of needs. There are hundreds of new homes already under construction and many more in the pipeline, with some of the UK’s major names investing here. They include Anwyl, Barratt, Bellway, Countryside, Linden, MacBryde, Persimmon and Redrow, plus shared ownership options from Sanctuary and extra-care units for the over 55s from Magenta Living, proving that wherever you are on the property ladder, The Port’s The Place!